THE apparent euphoria of Labour Party supporters around the recent by-election success may be short-lived.
Polling figures from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change indicate that support for independence is around 52% (with undecideds removed), confirming that the move to independence will not fade away, so if SNP politicians can come together and work constructively with the wider independence movement then an electoral mandate can be won to commence negotiations for the people of Scotland to rightfully determine their own future.
Should the SNP, together with any other parties standing for “independence now”, fail to win a majority of the votes at the next General Election but still win a majority of the seats (preferable to only “most seats”), then within the current democratic framework of a first-past-the-post electoral system, those negotiations should be enabled.
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However, if regrettably, as is likely, even a new Labour government were to also deny democracy and refuse such negotiations, then that elected government must be persuaded to act in accordance with democratic principles and at least legislate for the Scotland Act to be amended and thus allow the Scottish Parliament the freedom to call a referendum at a time of its choosing. (The ability to conduct successful persuasion would be enhanced by a commitment that all MPs elected to progress “independence now” had pledged not to stand again for Westminster unless independence negotiations were to be commenced or the Scotland Act amended.)
Should progress towards either of these mandated objectives not be made within the first six months of the new parliament then it would seem proportionate for scheduled resignations of MPs to follow and a course of actions to draw international attention to the UK’s broken democracy initiated, accompanied by direct actions taking Scotland’s case to appropriate international bodies.
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If there were still to remain a lack of significant progress by the time of the next Holyrood election then it would appear logical and legitimate to fight that election on the basis that if there were a majority for self-determination the new parliament would declare Scotland’s withdrawal from the Union and all Scottish MPs would be withdrawn from Westminster to form an independent government (including MPs, possibly in an innovative “revising chamber”, as well as MSPs) in accordance with decisions arrived at by a new Scottish Constitutional Convention led by our elected politicians.
In the meantime, to re-establish its credentials as the party of independence, the SNP must present a serious plan that embraces constructive ideas from outwith as well as from within the party, including appropriate direct actions necessary to achieve independence within the next five years.
Stan Grodynski
Longniddry, East Lothian
OF course the Rutherglen & Hamilton South by-election was “disappointing”, although entirely predictable. We just have to endure Labour’s triumphalism and the despicable – but also predictable – “strategic” votes for Labour by those who love the Union and the Tories more than their own country.
The SNP and Yes campaigns must ceaselessly bombard the Scottish electorate with the evidence – of which there is an overabundance – that Brengland is increasingly seen by the rest of the world as a basket case: incompetent, class-obsessed, and sliding down every world ranking.
David Roche
Blairgowrie
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